Just finished catching up....Man you do nice work! 
CK5
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One Piece at a Time: My 1985 Diesel Suburban
- Thread starter AgDieseler
- Start date
Really well. I got a toothbrush from the hotel front desk the night before, and scrubbed while I prepped.
Still have to work through the offer.
Thanks man! I enjoy the details, and building stuff that appeals to me personally.
David
Now I can hang out with the jeep folk at cars and coffee.
But in all seriousness, I’m not much for cable hooks.
David
But in all seriousness, I’m not much for cable hooks.
David
I do like those new styles they have.
Your cars and coffee reminds me of something a guy in our local club wants to do but he keeps calling it Jeeps and Java. I'm like hey dude, lets be a little more inclusive. Especially since he was talking to me about helping organize it.
For some tow straps with especially thick loops, like Bubba rope, it seems like you just about have to use this style clevis.
You might counter his yawn-inducing cheap imitation alliteration with “squarebodies and suds.” Here I am, griping about jeeps, but @Spork929 and I are about to go wheel with 8 of those folks.
I got two hours this afternoon, which was enough for two main rear outriggers, and one truss. I never throw away good scrap, and this piece of DOM from the Rover bumper came in handy.
David
Rear top trusses finely fit and tacked, along with the frame plate overlay.
Stronghand Tools grasshopper - darned handy.
It’s takes a lot of gas, but I really like tacking with the TIG with the intent of running over it with MIG. It requires super tight joints, but that’s good discipline anyway.
The end is a trimmed 90* bend and lands on top of the 6x2, coming to within an inch or so of the pinch weld.
It took some fine fitting on the disc sander, but they’re tight to both surfaces.
12 more to go.
David
Stronghand Tools grasshopper - darned handy.
It’s takes a lot of gas, but I really like tacking with the TIG with the intent of running over it with MIG. It requires super tight joints, but that’s good discipline anyway.
The end is a trimmed 90* bend and lands on top of the 6x2, coming to within an inch or so of the pinch weld.
It took some fine fitting on the disc sander, but they’re tight to both surfaces.
12 more to go.
David
Right? Nor do I have his skill with fabricating. So I'm looking at Toyota fj80 rocker bars, should be a good enough fit for me. Unless we want to pay David to design and build some for our trucks...You do great work, and are very patient. I can’t do that.
It’s aggravating!!
Thanks, and I really appreciate it.
I try to be patient, because I know I won’t be pleased with the result otherwise, but it is difficult. Truthfully, I’ve never been terribly excited to build sliders, hence the 15 year delay. Now that I’m in it, I really just want to be done, go fiddle with the wastegate on the turbo, and do some wheeling.
I have a flex day tomorrow, and will use all the hours I can to get the other truss member built. Step tubing also arrives tomorrow (1-5/8x.134 DOM).
30 days to 21 road.
David
You have real good triangulation with this.
Probably the best slider design I have seen.
Problem is it will transfer all the load to a torsion on the frame.
Are you considering a few crossmembers on the bottom or a skid plate to prevent it?
Thank man. I wanted the maximum separation of the truss members at the frame with the intent of making the sliders their own rigid structure, and additive to the overall stiffness of the body and frame.
I have the same concerns about a torsional load on the frame, and have some initial thoughts. The current mounting plate locations closely align (though not perfectly) with two existing crossmembers - the t-case skid plate and front hangers for the rear springs. The front plates don’t line up with anything.
I want to add more crosmembers - actually, I want to build out the inner frame reinforcement structure similar to what I have planned for the Charger - but it’s unlikely I will have the time before this next trip. The three body mount integrations should add a great deal of rigidity, and keep the “moment arm” from rotating the frame itself, but I’m still concerned.
David
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That is one handy af tool right there.
Also I am bending my frame rails with every hit of the sliders. Definitely deformed now and some sort of connection between the two rails up top and bottom would have prevented my bent frame rails.
I hit the hell out of them alot. You will probably be ok for a while if you wheel like you have been. You know, not by braille like me.
Also I am bending my frame rails with every hit of the sliders. Definitely deformed now and some sort of connection between the two rails up top and bottom would have prevented my bent frame rails.
I hit the hell out of them alot. You will probably be ok for a while if you wheel like you have been. You know, not by braille like me.
Definitely existing crossmembers help for now and when you get the time add a few more where you have big gaps.
You only need to tie in the bottom of the frame since the weight of the truck on the end of the sliders will pull the bottom of the frame out @obijuank5 .
The reason I mentioned this in this thread is because all the other sliders I have seen so far are not as stiff so it is a toss up which will bend first the frame or the tie in.
Not this one. Here it definitely will be the frame
You’ve got me thinking.
If I can, I’ll stab one or two quick crossmembers before the trip. Either way, I’ll definitely take @obijuank5 ‘s earlier advice in the short term - be gentle on the truck and don’t wheel by Braille.
David
I have a pretty good span of crossmembers under the frame which has helped keep the lower in good shape. it's pretty clear on mine that the frame is leaning in at the top. Probably by my poor driving.
Don’t drive like barbie you’ll be fine
And don’t let Hellen Keller be your spotter...
Kurt has been putting off getting a pair of glasses, but I’ll risk it.
Progress - front and mid trusses and overlay plates are built and tacked. Tight spacing on the front with the floor reinforcement limited the truss separation.
The mid truss has separation similar to the rear.
Next up are triangulating beams between the mounts, eight of them. But first, martinis.
David
Nice work as usual, David. 
You never disappoint with your awesome fab work. 
You never disappoint with your awesome fab work.
